Darkest Before Dawn
by spirithorse
Summary: Atemu may have forever, but I only have a finite time with him. And I plan to enjoy every moment of it. YYxY


**Author's Note:** This long one-shot is for the challenge that I offered. Basically I said that if you gave different authors one summary, they would all come out with a different story. This led to ten different clichés of the Yu-Gi-Oh fandom to be chosen and the challenge issued to write a one-shot or a story for each.

So, here's my cliché vampire fanfiction. As a warning, I tried to be historically accurate as possible, but I did mess around with history a bit and tried not to mention anything specific that readers could use against me. Also, this is my first attempt to write in first person present. Feel free to tell me that some of the grammar is off. At the first chance I get, I will do another read through of his story and fix it. Finally, if it is not implied well enough in the story itself, the parts in italics and third person are Atemu's past and the parts in normal font and in first person are from Yugi in the present.

I hope you enjoy and sorry for the novel of an Author's Note.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, just the plot of this story.

**Warning:** mentions of sexual situations between two men

* * *

**Darkest Before Dawn**

_He struggled as they dragged him to the stone platform, looking frantically around for a way to escape. The two burly men at his side holding on his arms discouraged any thought of that. His wide eyes fell upon the dangling cage, shying away from it only to be pulled back into line and pushed towards the bald man that waited for him. A passing thought compared the man to Shada, one of his family's servants before he was forced to his knees before the man._

_The young man shuddered as the man placed his hands upon his head, mussing the already messy hair. He shivered, unable to move away from the touch. No human should have been this cold._

_And then the man began the slow chant, the young man unable to understand the language. But it couldn't be anything good for him. These people hated his, or so he was told. They resisted the pressure to change from their heathen gods and ways to the one true God, and they hated his people for trying to convert them. They young man let out a whimper and tried to get away, the hands on his head clamping down._

_This wasn't even his problem. He was visiting nobility, here to see about his engagement to a young woman in one of the noble families here. He was merely a tool in the political game, his parents wanting to curry favor to the upmost. And he was the only son of a marriageable age._

_His head was released, the young man shivering under the gaze of the man, trying his hardest not to look at the cage. He had heard what was rumored to happen here. In worship to their goddess, they ripped the still beating heart out of sacrifices, presenting them to the gruesome stature of their goddess that towered above them._

_The man laughed, forcing him to look up. There was a cruel smile on the man's face, one that did not go away the longer that he stood. Then the man spoke slowly in a horribly accented version of the young man's language. "We will not waste such barbaric techniques on you. Instead, you will become a weapon to fight against your own kind. What do you think about that?"_

_He was given no chance to answer, his head forced back so that his neck was exposed. From the shadows, a creature leapt forward, the young man screaming in pain as sharp teeth sunk into his neck. He tried to see what the creature was doing to him, but couldn't turn his head enough. All he knew was that it hurt._

_Weakly, he looked up at the man responsible for this, his vision beginning to waver as the creature deprived him of life. The man laughed. "Now we have a weapon for our cause. We will send him back amongst his people and they will and they will be slain. No longer will we be forced away from your religion on a whim of our tyrants."_

_He fell over, the men that had held him in place letting him drop to the floor, the creature pulling back with a hiss._

_He drifted in between consciousness and unconsciousness, wanting badly to sleep. If he slept, then this would all be a nightmare. He sighed, ready to give into that temptation when the scent of blood caught his attention, the young man sluggishly opening his eyes to see the wrist of the creature held in front of him. He barely had time to consider what the bleeding wrist signified before a hand pinched his nose shut._

_He gasped for air, tasting blood on his tongue. Without thinking about it, he swallowed, his eyes widening as he realized what was going on. He coughed, trying to breathe and throw up the blood that he had just swallowed, failing in both as his heartbeat stopped, the young man arcing off the as he tried to breathe, to live. But there was nothing, just the feeling of hanging off the edge but never being able to fall._

_Weakly, he opened his eyes, pushing up from the ground. He was unnerved by the stare of the people around him, anxiously licking his lips and flinching as his tongue came in contact with two fangs, shivering and resisting the urge to touch the fangs with his fingers. Whatever they had done to him, he wouldn't give them the pleasure of seeing him back down. And he wouldn't do as they asked of him._

_He rolled to his side, glancing up at the cavern around him before looking at the three humans that were there. He didn't spare a glance at the creature. Whatever it was, it wasn't natural. He shook his head, his bangs falling across his eyes for a moment. Then he turned and ran._

* * *

I watch as Tèa weaves her way through the crowd, swaying a bit. She's probably just a bit drunk, but it is her twenty-first birthday. Joey and Tristan are probably somewhere in that crowd, dancing with pretty girls. I, however, am sitting at the bar, still nursing my first drink. They can all have their fun, but they still need someone sober enough to get them all home safe. And that's where I come in. I don't really like bars anyway, but it's for Tèa. I can stand one night of this for my oldest friend.

A man approaches her, speaking to her and making her giggle. I keep a careful watch on the two of them as they disappearing into the dancing crowd. It's strange for me to be so overprotective of Tèa considering that we are only friends, but I suppose that it's a lingering thing from when I had a crush on her. I hesitate to say I got over her, but I did realize that we were better as friends than anything else.

I sigh and lean back against the bar, turning my drink in my hand and watching as the ice cubes move around in it. A smile crosses my face as I see Tèa and her dance partner through a gap in the crowd, holding up my glass to them. "Happy Birthday Tèa. Enjoy it."

I nearly choke on the sip of alcohol as someone speaks from beside me. "Now, why aren't you dancing with that pretty girl?"

I shrug, talking as I turn in my seat. "We're just friends, that's all."

Then I look at the man, really look at him and my mouth falls open.

We could be brothers, or vaguely related. We have the same body shape, slim and almost girly and we're both short. Although, he's a bit taller to me, something that encourages me to glare at him, but I resist the urge, instead staring at his hair. I thought I was the only one with that hairstyle. Bleached blonde bangs danged over his face, a couple of them sticking straight up into his spiked black hair. The tips of his spikes are dyed red, the exact same color as mine.

The man smiles, revealing white teeth as the smile turns into a laugh. "You have a good sense of style. I commend you on that."

I give a partial bow, laughing along with the man. As I sit up, I can't help but look at his outfit, shocked by the amount of black leather I see on him. My mouth falls open, my throat suddenly dry as I stare at the tight fitting clothes. To my chagrin, I feel a bolt of lust pass through me. I snap my mouth shut and look away with a blush. I should know better than anyone not to judge people on looks alone. "Sorry."

"There is nothing to be sorry about." I tense as the man moves closer, watching him out of the corner of my eye. He settles back against the bar right beside me, his hand dangling so it rests close to mine. I try not to twitch, pushing my glass away from me. If I am thinking about this man like _that_, then I've already had too much to drink.

From beside me, the man sighs. "I am far too used to those looks. Although, I am grateful that you have refrained from acting on those thoughts."

"Welcome?" It comes out as more of a question, because I'm not sure how to respond to that. How can I? I'm barely thinking coherently enough as it is.

The man shakes his head, one side of his mouth twitching up into a smile. "Do not shut down on me now, little one." The reference to my height would usually set me off, but it doesn't. Already I like that he uses that term of endearment. "After I finally find the one person who will try to have an intelligent conversation with me, do not shut down."

I swallow and nod, turning to face him. The man tips his head so that he can look at me better, and I freeze at the sight of his red eyes, swallowing nervously. A soft smile crosses his face before the man sighs, shifting so he can hold a hand out. I stare at the hand, catching a scar over the last knuckle of the thumb in the dim light of the bar before he speaks. "I am Atemu."

I take his hand with a smile. "Yugi."

"Yugi?" He gives my hand a firm shake before releasing it and rocking back. "That's Japanese."

"Yeah."

Atemu smiles and leans forward again. "You're a bit far from home, Yugi."

I shrug. "I wanted to see what school in America would be like. So here I am."

"Ah." Atemu nods before looking out at the dancers, his attention immediately returning to me. "I hope that you are enjoying yourself here."

I nod, raising one shoulder in half a shrug. "I get homesick. But, doesn't every one?"

Atemu's eyes widen before he shuts them, staying quiet for a while before he lets out a soft laugh. I bit my lip, worrying that I have done something wrong, something to upset him. He glances up at me before shaking his head. "That they do, Yugi, that they do."

We fall into companionable silence, something that is hard to find for me. I spent the first part of my life alone, so this sudden switch into friends and nonstop noise is something new to me. I never knew how much that I missed having someone that I could just sit in silence with and know that they understood. Without thinking, I shift closer to him, my fingers accidentally brushing over his skin. Atemu doesn't startle, but just looks out of the corner of his eye at me.

"You never told me what you were doing here."

"Seeing the sights, taking in the world." He waves one hand about in a dismissive gesture. "All that usual stuff."

He looks at me for a long while, seeming to be thinking something over. Atemu shrugs before turning his head away, speaking in a low voice that is almost lost in the beat of the music. "Maybe settling down for a bit."

"So you're a bit of a wanderer?"

Atemu laughed. "Not quite that, Yugi. I have travelled and I do enjoy it, but there are times when I just want to settle down." He shifted, flinching as he took the weight off his left leg. "And what about you, Yugi? What are you?"

"Student, first and foremost." I laugh, seeing the smile on his face return. "I'm working on figuring out the rest, but that's me right now. Studying archeology."

"Ah, a fellow lover of history." Atemu winked at me, a blush crossing my face to my embarrassment, which made me blush more. He just leaned further forward until our noses were nearly touching. "I knew I had picked the right person to speak with in this place."

"Hey Yug'!" I turn at the sound of Joey's shout, sighing as I watch him attempt to lead Tristan out of the crowd, Tristan already looking close to passing out. I sigh, heart sinking as Tèa appeared out of the crowd too. This was the signal for me to leave. And, for once, I didn't want to.

I sigh and slip from my seat, Atemu glancing at my friends as I move. "I guess this is me leaving."

"I shall see you around then?" It must have been my imagination that Atemu looked hopeful. I just nod, jumping when he grabs my hand again, a smirk on his face. "Then I shall see you again. Goodnight, Yugi. Parting is such sweet sorrow."

He kisses the back of my hand before walking away, disappearing into one of the corners of the bar. I blink, my blush coming back when I look back down at my hand. I wasn't expecting _that_ to happen. Swallowing, I rush out after my friends, helping in what little way I can to support Tristan to keep him from falling over.

"Who was that you were talking to, Yug'?" I look up a Joey before shrugging.

"Just a friend."

* * *

_The young man slumped against the wall, his hand coming up to rub his hand across his still healing skin, snarling as he watched the guard pace outside the room that he was in. His hand dropped back to his lap, resting on his dirty pants, scowling at the state of the once rich fabric and trying to ignore the way his stomach ached. He never would have expected that._

_He was dead after all._

_He sighed, glancing around the dark cavern, easily seeing through the darkness. He could make out the shapes of the others like him loitering away from the light, shooting him strange glances, but he just turned away. Just because he had been caught and forced in here with them, didn't mean he would become like them._

_He would not allow himself to forget his life before._

_He was the son of a nobleman, a learned man who worked hard in the empire and was loyal to his religion. He was the first born son and engaged to a young woman. He had one week until he was expected to return home with his wife._

_He would not allow himself to forget his name._

_He was Atemu._

_He would not allow himself to become merely a creature like the rest of the former humans here._

_They all allowed this confinement to influence them, to change their thoughts. They would cry out for blood and stray away from the sunlight, because the others told them that it was the only recourse, their only chance at life. But he knew differently._

_Atemu had managed to get to the surface before they got to him, he had gotten one last glimpse at the sun before he had been dragged back into the hell that these people had created. And he hadn't been turned into a pile of dust, there had just been a mild discomfort, like he was on the verge of burning, but it had gone no further. So, he just had to avoid the sun for the most part once he got out of this place._

_He leaned his head back against the stone, growling and glaring at the creature that dared to move closer to him, narrowing his red eyes as the creature remained where it was, looking at the bright square of light that Atemu sat in before shivering. "Why do you not burn?"_

"_It's not real light."_

"_It is the only light!" The creature bobbed its head, agreeing with itself. "It is the sun for us down here. Why do you not burn?"_

_Atemu rolled his eyes and turned them back toward the guard that paced outside, blocking out the sound of the man's heartbeat and just observing. There would have to be a way out of this place so that he could get home. That's all that mattered in the end._

_A sharp pain in his neck made him yelp, punching whatever had hurt him. Atemu turned to look at the creature that had been bothering him before, lifting one hand to rest over the healing puncture marks. He glanced down at his hand, a human habit. He didn't bleed much anymore. At the thought, he shook his hand off, even though there was nothing there. "What did you do that for?"_

_The creature hissed, but curled up on the floor. "We are all hungry. Yes, very hungry. They don't feed us, just keep us here. They promised to feed us. Promised to get the invaders out of our land. It is ours." It tipped its head from one side and then the other. "You are not like the others, so you must be human, but you are not."_

_Atemu rolled his eyes and turned around. "No, I am not human anymore."_

_The creature made a happy sound, clapping its hands. "Then you are like us."_

_He flinched, looking over his shoulder before taking a step forward, standing in the light. The creature hissed and drew away, trembling and looking at Atemu with a sense of awe. The young man shrugged before letting his hands drop. "I am _not_ like you."_

_The creature gave a shrill, wordless, retort before rushing back into the darkness with its fellows, Atemu aware that they were all staring at him. He shrugged and turned to look at the guard, watching as the man stopped walking to stare at him. "You, get away from here. Don't you know what will happen to you in the light?"_

_Atemu smiled, showing off his fangs to the guard. The man backed off as Atemu came forward, the young man blocked by the barricade that they had erected to keep the creatures back. "Yes, I know that nothing will happen to me."_

_The man stared at him before hurrying on, Atemu watching him while pointedly remaining in the light. They all knew that he was different, that he refused to submit or be tamed. He would not allow himself to be taken into the mindset of the other creatures._

_He would _not_ forget who he was._

* * *

Three weeks pass before I find him again. I spot him out of the corner of my eye, Atemu curled up in a chair in the library, reading a book with a look of disgust on his face. I smile and walk over, watching as he shuts the book and places it on the ground, reaching for another before settling back again. I don't think that he spots me, but I am proven wrong as he speaks. "Hello, Yugi."

"Hello." I glance at the title, surprised to find that he is reading Dracula. "Like vampires?"

"Not really." He turns a page before shutting the book, keeping one finger between the pages. Atemu tips his head to the side, seeming to think over something before he speaks. "I am merely interested in how people view them."

"Really? There's not a lot of ways."

"Au contraire." Atemu slips his finger out of the book, apparently not worried about losing his spot. "You have those who believe that vampires are merely soulless creatures who viciously attack their victims, those who believe that they can be good or bad like people, or that drivel."

Atemu waved to the book he had set aside. I tip my head to get a glance of the title before wrinkling my nose. "Twilight?"

"I try to be open minded."

"How far did you get?"

"Three words in." I tried to smother a laugh, Atemu raising an eyebrow. The look that he gave me was enough to make me break into laughter. He snorts and leans back in his seat, shrugging. "I told you that I tried to be open minded."

"Better than me, I just read the back and nearly ran." Atemu joined my in laughter this time, gathering his pile of books into his lap at the same time.

"So, what brings you here, little one?" There was that endearment again, the one that made me shiver. I blush and look away with a shrug, suddenly shy.

"I'm doing some research for a paper. I just need a few more things. Mostly I want a quiet place to just…" I search for the word.

"Exist." Atemu nods, standing up and easily balancing his pile of books. "I understand completely. Get what you need and meet me on the third floor. I promise that it will be good."

I do as he says, scurrying among the shelves and picking out the books I need and then merely browsing, some part of my brain nagging me to go faster. I want to spend more time with this fascinating person. Eventually, I just snatch an interesting book of the nearest shelf and scurry to the third floor, smiling as I see Atemu waiting, just as he had promised.

He directs me with a simple jerk of his head, heading deep into the shelves that surround us before stopping at a rickety looking spiral staircase. I give the stairs a long look before looking back at Atemu, the man shrugging before beginning to climb. I tense as the staircase shakes a bit, relaxing when it holds. There are two options now.

One, I could follow Atemu up the staircase. Two, I could back away and probably regret it for the rest of my life. I take a deep breath and follow him up.

I stick to the widest part of the stairs, one hand clinging to the rail as I climb. I tell myself not to look down, stupid because I do so anyway. Still, the floor isn't that far down, just farther than I would have liked. I swallow nervously, ready to give into my weakness when I feel fingers rest against my arm. I look up to see Atemu there, smiling at me and gently pulling me up the rest of the way, leading me over to a pile of pillows so I can collapse.

"How did you find this place?"

"I tend to look for things that most people don't see." I turn to look at him, noticing that he's back to reading Dracula. "It's a habit I picked up…years ago."

Something about the pause intrigues me, but the look that Atemu shoots me afterwards stalls any questions. If he wanted to tell me something, he would have told me outright. So I curb my curiosity and just settle back on the pillows, opening the first book and reading through, absently digging in my bag for my notebook. I manage to find it and take the chance to look up, glancing over at my companion.

Atemu has one corner of his mouth up in a wry smile. As always, his smile doesn't show his teeth. I wonder why. I had gotten a glimpse of them once, in the bar, and thought nothing of it. But, then again, Atemu didn't seem to be the kind of person that smiled much. At least I could make him smile.

I went back to my reading, shifting to get into a more comfortable spot on the pillows. It was easy for me to lose myself in books, having to concentrate on the language and getting lost in the story. I never got to the novel that I had chosen, too interesting in the history books that I had gotten. But I had always been that way. It wasn't until my watch began to beep that I realized what time it was.

At the annoying noise, I glance down, staring at the numbers before shaking my head. It was nearly five and the library would be closing soon. I look over my shoulder to tell this to Atemu, only to find that we are now leaning on each other. I blink, surprised by this change. "Ah…Atemu?"

He turns his head, obviously not expected me to be so close. We stare at each other for a long while before he coughs politely and moves away. For some reason, I really want to follow him; I want to stay with him. But I don't.

The coward in me always wins.

"Yugi?"

"The library closes soon." He nods and stands, pausing to help me up. He even helps me back down the stairs from our little hide away. It might be my imagination that his hand lingers a bit on my arm before he lets go and walks away. I sigh and follow him, remembering to put my books back where I had found them before walking outside.

I tip my head back to look at the slowly darkening sky, most of the sunset blocked by the tall buildings that surround me. Atemu walks out beside me, stretching his back before looking up as well. "I miss the stars."

"Really?"

He nods. "I grew up always being able to see them, so it is strange to have just…nothing."

I hum in agreement, not really knowing what to say to that. I had grown up in a city, so this was normal to me. Still, now I wondered what it would look like to look up and only see stars in the sky above me. My hand twitched by my side as my imagination painted a picture of that. Strangely enough, the image included Atemu as well.

"So…I'll see you here tomorrow?" I turn to look at Atemu as he speaks, a smile crossing his face.

"Alright."

"Until tomorrow then, Yugi." I blush at the way he says my name, Atemu already walking away into the night. I rub the back of the hand that he had kissed the first time we met, glancing down at it before shaking my head and walking away. No one fell in love after only one meeting…well two after this. That was just the stuff of fairy tales. And I don't believe in fairy tales.

* * *

_Atemu ran, keeping away from the rest of the creatures who had been released. He moved effortlessly through the shadows of the city, his red eyes easily picking out the house that was his destination. He had been there once and met the family before his capture. He only hoped that they would be as generous to him this time. Atemu swallowed nervously before ducking into the house, stopping when he realized that the whole family had gathered in one of the front rooms, Atemu still holding the handle of the door._

_He looked over his shoulder before slipping into the house, suddenly highly aware of the state he was in, his clothes torn and stained with dirt. Atemu blinked before shutting the door behind them, looking up at the family before looking down at the ground._

"_Atemu!" He heard a struggle go on, watching the woman he was engaged to be pushed behind one of the screens in the house, barely getting a glimpse of her unveiled face. He blushed and looked at the ground, waiting until he was sure that she was properly hidden from his sight before he looked up into the face of her father._

"_I apologize for my state."_

"_That doesn't matter." The man walked up to him and looked him over, Atemu swallowing harshly. In this form, he had no choice but to drink blood and his captors hadn't fed any of them. They had wanted their 'weapons' to be starving before they let them out to wreck havoc on the invaders. He could feel the blood pumping through the man's veins, Atemu having to restrain his new instincts. He shook his head, his bangs falling across his face before he viciously shoved them away. "You and your family must leave here. They are taking people to use against us. Please, for the sake of your family, you must leave."_

_The two paused at the screams that came from outside, the man staring at the walls before nodding in agreement. "We'll begin now."_

_Atemu gave a nod. "I will protect you."_

_The man rushed back into his house, herding his family out and urging them to quickly pack. Atemu watched them before jogging up to the room he was staying in, shoving some clothes into a saddlebag along with the money he had brought before slinging the bag over his shoulder and jogging back down to where the family was gathered, blushing as he saw the women there, looking down at the ground before peeking out of the door._

_He slid into the shadows, glancing around the street before waving the family out, flinching at the sound of screams before leading them off at a jog. He wasn't going to go back to his captors, or search out the rest of the creatures. He was not like them and he would never seek out their company. They could act as they wanted; even betraying their own people, but he would never sink that low._

_Atemu forced himself to keep a slow pace even though something urged him to run. It was better than just slinking through the shadows and hope that they wouldn't get caught. He peeked out of the end of an alleyway before waving them on, taking advantage of his enhanced senses to help the family out. Atemu tensed at a light touch to his shoulder, wanting to shake it off for a moment before he turned to look at the person who had touched him._

_His future wife looked at him through her veil before looking down at the ground. "Thank you…for this."_

_Atemu smiled, remembering his fangs and quickly smothering the expression. He ushered her out of the alleyway, following the family as they escaped from the city, the screams becoming quieter the further they walked. Atemu noticed that the young woman's father fell back a bit, keeping an eye on them as they talked. "It's nothing."_

"_Atemu…" She blushed as she spoke his name, glancing at the ground before looking back up at him. "Why were you gone for so long?"_

_He hesitated for a moment before shrugging, allowing that to be his answer. He would figure out a way to tell her and the rest of her family later. Because he couldn't stay with them and he couldn't go home. He would figure out something. His hand tightened on the bag that he carried, looking up at the stars and giving a long sigh._

_He would figure this all out eventually._

* * *

I watch the snow fall down, coating the ground. The table moves slightly underneath my elbow, drawing my attention back to the interior of the café that I am in. Well, that we are in.

Atemu places my drink in front of me, sitting down in the other seat and looking out at the falling snow. He smiles and takes a drink of his coffee. I just cup my hands around my hot chocolate, enjoying the sight of Atemu sitting across from me.

We had been meeting in the library for about three months before we extended the meetings to coming to the café after the library closed. Soon afterward, we began doing nearly everything together. My friends joke that we are really dating, but I always tell them that we are just friends. I'm not looking to jump into a relationship. But we've talked and I like to think I know a lot about Atemu. A lot more than he will tell other people.

He looks away from the falling snow and back to me, but heart beating faster for a moment before I calm it down again. I can fool myself into thinking that his sideways glances mean one thing when I _know_ that they do not. We're just really good friends.

"Yugi, you're doing it again." I shake my head, coming out of the daze that I was in. Atemu is leaning towards me, staring directly into my eyes.

"Do-doing what?" Of all the times that I could have stuttered, it was then.

Atemu just shook his head, taking a sip of his coffee before settling the cup down. "Staring off into space and thinking. Care to share."

"I…um…no?"

He raises an eyebrow, obviously seeing through me. It's one of those things that I wish that he wouldn't do. Before, I thought I was hard to read, but Atemu reads me so easily. It's uncanny. And I'll break every time. Every single time.

"My friends think that we're dating." Atemu shrugs, obviously not bothered by this. I stare at him before finally taking a sip of my hot chocolate, wincing as I burn my tongue. The silence drifts between us for a while before I finally get up the courage to speak again. "And…I kind of like the idea."

"You do?" It must be my imagination because Atemu sounds interested, more so than usual.

"Yeah. I mean, I liked Tèa for a while when her family was in Japan, but I really haven't thought about it."

"Too focused on your studies."

"Yeah."

Atemu sighs, leaning back in his seat and turning to look out at the snow again. I slump in my seat. And my chance has just disappeared. Atemu knows me too well; I place school first because I want to do well. It's a drive that I've always had. Of course, the side effect is that all my relationships haven't lasted long.

"Yugi, I find it admirable that you focus so much on your studies."

"Thanks. That makes one person."

"And I would not be opposed to any relationship between the two of us." I stare at him, unsure of what he said because of the archaic phrasing and the fact that he nearly ignored what I had said before. I'm sure that my mouth his hanging open because of his confession, watching him for any signs that he is joking.

Atemu looks at me once before leaning forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. "But there are some things that you must know before you agree to anything, Yugi."

"You can't possibly have any secrets that could be _that_ bad." I laugh, hoping that the serious expression on his face will disappear. "I mean, you can't be an escaped convict."

"Nothing like that Yugi, I promise." He looks around the café before giving a long sigh. "Walk with me?"

"Sure." Atemu has never asked something like this of me, so I agree instantly, pulling on my coat and my cup of hot chocolate. Atemu drinks the last of his coffee, throwing the cup out as we leave. I shiver as we step out into the snow, Atemu not seeming to notice the temperature change. He buttons up his coat almost as an afterthought.

For a while, we just walk in silence, heading back to my apartment. I keep looking at Atemu out of the corner of my eye, wondering why he asked to talk outside of the café. Was it really that bad?

A groan from Atemu draws my attention back to him, watching as he rakes his fingers through his hair. He stares up at the sky, the snow falling on his face before he speaks, never looking at me. "I have not been completely honest with you. I have not told you the truth, but I have not lied to you straight out. Not because of anything I thought about you, but because of what I am."

"What?"

"I knew this would not make sense."

I catch his sleeve as he turns to walk away, holding tight so that he has to turn and look back at me. "Explain the best you can and I'll listen."

He hesitates for a long while before finally giving in, allowing me to pull him along. Atemu returns to walking by my side, lapsing back into silence again. We walk about halfway to my apartment in this silence, Atemu just staring at the sidewalk.

"I'm older than you think that I am. I was born sometime around 940 A.D. in Egypt, during the reign of one of the Muslim Caliphates there." I blinked, staring at him. He wasn't kidding; I could tell when Atemu was kidding. "I was betrothed to a woman in another country, so I went to meet her family, get married and bring her back to my home, but that didn't go as planned. I was taken by a group who was trying to free their country of the hold over them. They wanted to use me as a weapon against my own people so they changed me."

"Changed you?" I shake my head. Atemu didn't look any different than any other human. I settle for a shrug, reaching for his hand. "I don't see anything."

"It is nothing obviously visible." Atemu's hand strayed away from mine, clenching into a fist. "I cannot feel cold or warmth. I cannot live in the normal way. My heart does not beat. I am…treading the line between life and death. I am not even human any longer."

"That doesn't-"

"Yugi, I have to drink blood to survive. I am no better than an animal."

"Atemu, that doesn't matter."

"It does not matter to you now, but what about years from now? It is better that you find someone else, Yugi, because it will matter eventually."

"Atemu!" I snap at him. I have never done that before, not to any other person that I knew. But it works, Atemu stops, staring at me. "It honestly doesn't matter to me. So you're a vampire, so what? I've fallen in love with the human behind the vampire."

"There is no-"

"There _is_ a human behind there, I see him every day."

Atemu looks like he is ready to run, tensing before relaxing. "Yugi, I should have been dead for a long time now."

"I'm glad that you're not." I take a step forward, happy that Atemu doesn't pull away. There is a moment where I wonder if I should back away myself, but I force myself onward. This just _feels_ right. So I go with it. For once in my life, I just go with it. I wrap my arms around Atemu's neck, my cup of hot chocolate dropping to the ground as I tip his head down towards me. "Then I wouldn't be able to do this."

I stretch up a bit to kiss him. It's just a brush across his lips, but that's enough for me. But not for Atemu, apparently. He gasps and pulls me closer, the kiss turning rough for a moment before Atemu calms himself.

So we stand there, kissing in the falling snow, ignoring the few people that are walking around. This is our little world, our moment in time. A single frozen moment where only we exist.

Unfortunately, I have to pull away for breath, Atemu still holding me close. He stares at me with something like awe in his eyes, but I honestly can't tell. My head is still spinning from that kiss. I blink up at him, about to speak when he pulls me into a tight hug. "Thank you, Yugi. Thank you."

I don't know why he is thanking me and I don't think I'll ever know; so I just hold him tight.

* * *

"_Atemu?" He turned to look at the family, looking at the ragged group before going back to staring off into the west again. He sighed, turning around and walking to the father of the family, shaking his head._

"_I'm sorry. Before all of this…I had every intention of marrying your daughter. But, I cannot now." He licked his lips nervously. He had gotten good at lying during this journey, purposefully not speaking to the family of his condition, hoping that it would cause them to hate him. He had fed off of animals when the family slept and he had wore more clothes to cover his skin, although he still sported a sunburn on his face, a new experience for him._

"_But, you have gotten us out of there! And you are free of this place too." The man shook his head and draped an arm around Atemu's shoulders. "We will return with you to your home and I will see my daughter married to a courageous man."_

_Atemu shook off the arm around his shoulders, still not looking at the man. "I am sure that my family will help you in this time of need, but you will have to go without me. I…I do not belong with humans anymore."_

"_Atemu?"_

"_I was taken and turned into one of those creatures." There was no need to elaborate. They had all seen the creatures out during the night and they had seen the corpses of their victims as the creatures gorged themselves, driven by their hunger and hatred of their own kind._

_Atemu waited for the man to scream at him, to try and kill him. That was one mercy; they had seen that these creatures could be killed. Part of Atemu wished for that death, wished for it dearly. Then he could avoid living out his life alone. Instead the man just clapped a hand to his shoulder, giving it a squeeze before stepping away. "We will remember you, Atemu, and the sacrifices you made for us. You will not be forgotten."_

"_It is best that I am."_

"_Perhaps. But, then again, perhaps not." Atemu looked up at that, watching as the man gathered his family and began herding them east. They would travel until they reached the city of Atemu's birth and speak to his parents. He was free to do as he wished_

_He sighed, adjusting the pack over his shoulder before turning towards the west. For now, he would wander, it was the only thing left to him Atemu gave a cold chuckle; he had always wanted to see the world, and now he had all the time in the world to do it in. He had known that everything in life came with a price, but this one, he was beginning to think, was a bit too steep._

"_Father?" He flinched at the sound of his former betrothed's voice, finding himself unable to stop himself from looking up at them. He had wanted to just walk away, ease the separation, but now that was impossible. "Father, we have to wait for Atemu."_

"_He will not be coming."_

"_But, he has to! He's my husband and-"_

"_He is no longer your husband."_

"_What? Father, what do you mean?"_

"_Leave him be. We have a long journey ahead of us and sorrowful news to pass onto his family."_

"_What news?" The young woman had stopped looking between her father and Atemu._

"_We must inform them that their son is dead."_

"_But he's right there! He's still alive. He got us out of that madness and save our lives! He's still alive, father!" The man hesitated before shaking his head and walking over to his daughter, gently holding onto her shoulders._

"_I did not expect you to understand. Come now, leave him." He began to walk, nearly carrying her along with him. The young woman struggled, trying to break out of her father's hold and rush back to Atemu. The young man stared at his former betrothed before dropping his eyes to the ground, forcing himself to turn and walk away, heading in a random direction. The worries of the living no longer mattered to him._

"_No! Please, come back! Atemu!"_

* * *

I collapse onto my stomach, panting for breath as Atemu rolls off of me and onto his back on the bed. I watch his chest rise and fall as he tries to draw in a breath, even though he doesn't need it. There are times when he forgets and just reverts to what had been habit for him before. I smile and scoot closer to him, my muscles currently protesting any move because I just feel too good. But I want to be near Atemu.

He looks over at me, smirking as I drape myself over him, raising an eyebrow. "You cannot possibly be ready for another round, not after that."

"No." I rest my head on his chest, holding him close. "I just want to be here."

He doesn't argue, resting his hands on my waist. I smile at the move, rubbing my cheek against his chest in thanks. From my new position I can see the clothes that we had been wearing strewn around the room, thrown haphazardly about in our single minded quest to get to each other. One of our shirts is hanging off the lamp, I can't tell which one in the dim light.

We had gone out for our anniversary, four years together…or close enough to it. Our real anniversary would pass in the rush of exams at the end of my senior year in college, so we deiced to celebrate early. But that isn't the important part. The important part is that we have been together for four years with little conflict. A success that my friends have yet to imitate.

Joey is currently dating one girl who seems to be working out while Tristan is getting over a bad break up. Tèa is somewhere out there, probably raising a family. I lost contact with her long ago when she dropped out of college to get married.

I sigh and snuggle closer to Atemu, drawing a content hum out of the vampire under me. I turn my head to kiss the skin closest to me, catching the edge of one of the scars that mark his body. I remember one night that I had traced over each of them and demanded the story of how they had gotten there. Atemu had lived through all of the history that I read about, his body marked with the changes of time.

"Thinking about my scars again?" He chuckles slightly as he speaks, the sound making his chest rumble. His laughter is a nice sound and I wish that I could hear it more. But Atemu seems happier than he was before.

"You caught me." I plant my hands on either side of his chest and push my upper body off of him, his hands remaining on my waist. I shiver as Atemu rubs his thumbs against my bare skin. He's going to manage to coerce me into a second round, not that I mind. But I wanted to resist for a while longer.

I stare at the collection of scars that Atemu bears, lighter marks against his tan skin. Some of them he has admitted are from sunburns, experiments on how long he could stay out in the sun before he discovered his limits. More are from various conflicts that he has been involved in, most of them I have already read about in my studies.

He shivers as I brush over one that sits on his left shoulder, leaning over to kiss it before moving up to kiss the skin near his left eye, a faint scar still there. I trail a line of kisses to his mouth, Atemu eagerly responding to the kiss and pulling me back against him. He flips us over, pinning me to the bed as he continues to kiss me. My hands take the chance to roam over his naked body, brushing over his scars. I know where they all come from by now.

A ropy one on his right side that runs down his ribs is from a misadventure with an African tribe.

A thin line that runs parallel to his spine is from training in Japan. Samurai, apparently. On his right shoulder, right in the middle of the blade is a small puckered scar, also from his time in Japan. He says it is from a ninja. I really don't know whether to believe him or not.

One starts at his waist and runs down to his hip, making a jagged line across his pelvis, from a dueling accident in Europe.

A series of scarred over puncture marks and uneven tears runs down his right thigh from where he had been caught in barbed wire during the first World War.

On his left leg, out of my reach and out of my way, is a scar from where his shin bone had punched through his skin after being thrown from a horse in the American West, an injury that still plagues him at random times to this day.

All of them the story of what Atemu did before he met me. And I am glad for every moment that he spends with me. It makes me feel special that a man like this would chose to stop traveling and remain with someone like me.

I moan as Atemu leaves my lips to nip at the skin on my neck. I feel his fangs brush over my skin, but I'm not afraid of it anymore. Atemu usually sticks to drinking from animals, or me when I push him for it. He still fears that he is nothing more than an animal, but I can see beyond that.

"Atemu," I interrupt myself with another moan, bucking into his hand, "I love you."

He pauses to brush his lips across mine, looking into my eyes. "I love you too, Yugi."

* * *

_Atemu leaned back onto his hands, his legs dangling over the edge of the cliff that the sat on, watching the pomp and circumstance below him. In all his travels, he always returned here, surprising for one with his condition. He tipped his head to the side, peeking out from under the brim of his hat to look at the stone all around him, warm as it collected the heat of the sun. He shook his head and looked back at the valley below him, watching the people rush around in excitement._

_He had wandered the world, lived through too many wars to remember, but he was always the outsider. He had fought for several causes, not always because he thought that they were right, but because it was something to do. After all, he couldn't die, not really._

_He had amazing luck in the American Revolution, fighting on the side of the fledgling country and managed to make it through that war relatively unscathed. America had been the one place that he had reached a state close to being settled, just because it was so big. It was easy to move around and get himself lost there, posing as someone new or as someone just coming over in the hopes of a new life._

_His luck had run out during the Civil War. Damn that Pickett. He rubbed his left shoulder, the scar still there from the bullet that had caught him. It had been a dumb maneuver in the first place, and Atemu had been forced to follow along with it. And the bad luck had carried over, Atemu swept up in the aftermath and forced to march around the country and subdue the Indians. Then he had merely fought because someone had figured out who he was and had threatened his life; that had been during at time when Atemu was alright with what he was._

_But why did he always get stuck with the reckless ones? First Pickett and then Custer? Atemu shook his head at the memory, knowing that were a few scars from arrowheads on his body._

_The Great War had been his latest venture; one that Atemu was not keen on repeating. He had hated sitting around in the trenches, waiting for the suicidal order. He had lost track of how many times he had dragged himself out of the no man's land between the trenches to be greeted as some kind of miracle; albeit a miracle with barbed wire still embedded in his leg. He had nearly been blown to pieces about fifteen times and he still had a scar near his left eye from when a piece of shrapnel had nearly gouged it out. And he thought that he had nearly been gassed about twelve times, but it could have been fewer. The details of those times were a bit fuzzy to him as mustard gas seemed to have a strange affect on vampires._

_Actually he was surprised that his whole body wasn't just one big scar, especially from all the danger he had thrown himself in. He supposed it was just a coping mechanism, that he never felt as alive as when he was facing death. But, that wasn't it. He was always standing just on the edge of death, waiting for that final shove. He wasn't waiting anymore._

_There had been a time, pretty soon after his change, that he had been waiting for that final push, desperately wanting this to end. Now, he wasn't quite sure that he wanted that. He had been living in his own way, avoiding exposing too much skin to the sunlight and seeing the world. That was maybe why he participated in all the events of the world, he wasn't ready to leave it yet, wasn't ready to call it quits and just sit back and watch. Although those times were always nice, like now._

_Atemu reached out for the canteen he had at his side, staring at the people milling below before checking on his exposed hands. They seemed fine so far, but he'd have to keep an eye on them. He had been badly burned so many times in his life while he was seeking out the edges of his endurance, but now he knew the signs. He _could_ go out into the sunlight, but he had to be careful, taking the precautions an albino would. And his skin did tend to tan, but it was more inclined to burn first, the tan coming after._

_He sighed, adjusting the hat on his head, glaring at the strands of hair that hung down into his face. He glared at his bangs before sweeping them away from his line of vision. Maybe it was time for a change. While he could always change where he lived, he was quite content where he was now, maybe in a few years he would move on. But he could always change a few things about himself; maybe not the teeth or the red eyes that had come with his change, but maybe his hair._

_And maybe he wouldn't. He would just see._

_Atemu opened the canteen and took a sip of the water, nose wrinkling slightly at the taste. He could eat normal food, it just had no taste, it all tasted bland. But it made food based bets easy. The more spice the food had, the more flavor. Atemu could safely eat something that would kill a normal man and taste a little bit of flavor in the food. He smirked at the though, downing another sip of water._

_He would have to find shade soon, but that was easy with all the opened tombs below him. He could just slip in and look around. There were a few that he hadn't been in yet. But he was hoping to hold out until most of the people had gone. He especially wanted a look at the tomb that they were just opening now._

_Atemu smiled and raised his canteen in a toast to the man below him. "Here's to you, Howard Carter."_

* * *

I stand out on the balcony of our hotel room, looking out at the Pyramids. The air around me is still cooling down from the heat of the day. Below me, the city still moves, shouts drifting up from the streets below. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. This, right now, is perfect. Except…

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yeah." I sigh, leaning forward in the dim hope that the Pyramids would move closer. "Has it changed?"

"Yugi…"

"You know what I mean."

"They haven't, but everything else has."

"Does it-"

I hear him begin to walk out onto the balcony, pausing behind me, cutting myself off and waiting for him to speak. "I have grown used to the passage of time. It no longer hurts as it used to."

Of course he would say that.

Arms wrap around me, pulling me close to a cool body. I smile and lean back into the embrace. Now, it is perfect.

I tilt my head up to look at Atemu, smiling at him before wrapping my arms around his neck, the two of us looking out over the Egyptian desert. One thousand and seventy years later, Atemu was back where he had started his life. Of course, this time he had brought me along for the ride.

"Hello."

"Hi." I tip my head to the side to allow Atemu to nuzzle my neck, my fingers tightening where they were intertwined on his neck. I brush my right ring and middle finger over the cold ring that sits on my left ring finger, the golden band that signifies that I am married. Recently married in fact. I have been for almost a day, give or take a few hours.

It ended up being a small ceremony, none of my family coming and a few of my friends. Although, Tristan had to run out in the middle of it because his wife had gone into labor. Both Atemu and I had spent a few hours waiting for our plane to board trying to convince him that we really didn't mind, that his own family was just as important and that he really didn't want to name the child Yugi or Atemu because the poor boy would be teased for the rest of his life.

Atemu chuckles against my neck, the vibration that runs through my skin makes me arch, only to be pressed more tightly against him. "Now that we have a quiet moment alone…"

I groan and push him away. "Atemu, I'm looking at the Pyramids."

He snorts, slipping his hands under my shirt so he can rest his fingers against his skin. I shiver a bit at the unfamiliar feeling of the ring that he wears on his finger. Hopefully, I will have time to get used to it.

"They're just a bunch of stones with dead people inside of them."

"I find dead people very interesting." Atemu finds the one spot on my neck that makes me squirm, attempting to distract me and doing a very good job. I whimper and lean back against him, my voice dropping to a whisper. "I love dead guys."

"I hope you only mean me when you say that." We both laugh.

I turn, wrapping my arms around his neck again and leaning against him, the two of us swaying. "Of course. It's only you and will be only you."

He draws me into a deep kiss, beginning to back up into our hotel room. I follow him without hesitation and I am the one to push him back onto the bed. Atemu smirks at me as I clamber on top of him, allowing me to do as I please. "A little eager?"

"I had to stand through a whole ceremony of you looking absolutely delicious in that tux. You were lucky I didn't jump you then." I am already working at the buttons of his shirt, Atemu doing nothing to help me, just laying on the bed and laughing.

"I saw those looks you were giving me, Yugi. I was sure that you were about to devour me."

I wink at him. "Watch it, I just might."

He chuckles before reaching up to pull me down for a kiss. I abandon my task of getting him out of his clothes, allowing him to flip us over so he is the one on top, giving myself over to whatever he wants to do to me.

Atemu may have forever, but I only have a finite time with him.

And I plan to enjoy every moment of it.

_

* * *

_

_Please read and review. Criticism is always welcome._


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